"Oma" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Omas. In English, Oma means "grandma". The formal version is die Großmutter (grandmother)."Die Oma" is one of the first family vocabulary words children learn in German — the informal counterpart to die Großmutter (grandmother). It's essential A1 vocabulary and the feminine partner to der Opa (grandpa). Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Female persons are generally feminine in German. The -s plural is unusual for native German words but typical for short, informal words like Oma and Opa. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Oma — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Oma | die Omas |
| Genitive | der Oma | der Omas |
| Dative | der Oma | den Omas |
| Accusative | die Oma | die Omas |
Example Sentences with Oma
Die Oma backt jeden Samstag einen Kuchen.
(Grandma bakes a cake every Saturday.) — Nominative
Ich besuche die Oma nächste Woche.
(I'm visiting grandma next week.) — Accusative
Die Kinder zeigen der Oma ihre Schulnoten.
(The children show grandma their school grades.) — Dative
Der Garten der Oma ist voller Blumen.
(Grandma's garden is full of flowers.) — Genitive
Die Omas im Seniorenheim spielen gerne Karten.
(The grandmas in the retirement home like to play cards.) — Nominative Plural
Meine Oma hat mir Stricken beigebracht.
(My grandma taught me how to knit.) — Nominative (with possessive)
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Opa (grandpa), die Großmutter (grandmother — formal), der Großvater (grandfather — formal), die Großeltern (grandparents — plural only), die Mutter (mother), der Enkel (grandson), die Enkelin (granddaughter)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Uroma (great-grandma), die Oma-Rolle (grandma role), das Oma-Rezept (grandma's recipe — colloquial)
Common Mistake with Oma
❌ Common mistake: Die Ömas gehen in den Park.
✅ Correct: Die Omas gehen in den Park.
💡 Why: The plural of "Oma" is die Omas — with -s, no Umlaut. "Ömas" does not exist. Because many family nouns form their plural with an Umlaut (Mutter → Mütter, Vater → Väter, Großmutter → Großmütter), learners sometimes assume Oma does too. It doesn't — short informal words like Oma and Opa simply add -s.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Die Kinder schenken ___ Oma einen Blumenstrauß.
- A) die Oma
- B) der Oma
- C) den Oma
Check Answer
"Schenken" requires a dative object (to whom?). Feminine dative = der: der Oma. The noun itself doesn't change.
2. Ich liebe mein___ Oma über alles.
- A) mein Oma
- B) meinen Oma
- C) meine Oma
Check Answer
"Lieben" takes an accusative object (whom?). Feminine accusative = same as nominative. The possessive pronoun for feminine is meine: meine Oma. "Mein" without -e would be masculine/neuter, and "meinen" would be masculine accusative. Learn more about pronouns.
3. Sie ist eine wunderbar___ Oma.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the nominative feminine, the adjective ending is -e: eine wunderbare Oma. Compare with masculine: ein lustiger Opa — masculine needs -er because "ein" doesn't show the gender.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and common informal words.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Opa — the grandpa
- die Großmutter — the grandmother
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Onkel — the uncle
- die Tante — the aunt
- das Kind — the child
- die Familie — the family
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Oma? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and common informal words. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oma masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Oma is feminine — the correct article is die. Female persons are generally feminine in German. The formal version is die Großmutter (grandmother), which is also feminine. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Oma?
The plural is die Omas — with an -s, no Umlaut. "Ömas" does not exist. This -s plural matches der Opa → die Opas. The formal version has a different plural: die Großmutter → die Großmütter (Umlaut, no -s).
What is the difference between Oma and Großmutter?
Die Oma is informal — similar to "grandma" or "granny" in English. Die Großmutter is the standard, formal word for "grandmother," used in documents, official contexts, and when talking about someone else's grandmother. Children almost always say "Oma" in everyday conversation. Both are feminine.
How do you say great-grandma in German?
"Great-grandma" is die Uroma — simply add the Ur- prefix. The formal version is die Urgroßmutter (great-grandmother). The Ur- prefix adds one generation: Oma (grandma) → Uroma (great-grandma). The male equivalents are der Opa (grandpa) → der Uropa (great-grandpa).
